Twins start Day 2 by taking Cederoth

By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com

The Twins went with a hard-throwing college right-hander for a second straight pick, drafting San Diego State flamethrower Michael Cederoth with their third-round selection on Friday after taking Louisville's Nick Burdi in the second round.

Cederoth, ranked as the No. 59 overall Draft prospect by MLB.com, was selected with the No. 79 overall pick on the second day of this year's First-Year Player Draft. It was the second of seven straight college pitchers taken by the Twins.

Cederoth and Burdi rank as two of the hardest throwing college pitchers, as Cederoth has also hit 100 mph on the radar gun. Both profile as relievers, as the Twins are looking to add quality relievers to their system who could move quickly to the Majors.

"It wasn't a plan going in, but it was just kind of a snowball effect once we took Cederoth," Twins scouting director Deron Johnson said. "The starters we really liked were gone by the third round. We'd rather take a Michael Cederoth and his fastball that can reach 100 than some guy who profiles as a fifth starter. That's just our belief."

Cederoth, a 6-foot-6, 220-pounder, went 6-2 with a 2.28 ERA in 32 appearances with San Diego State this year. He struck out 55 and walked 28 in 51 1/3 innings while picking up 20 saves en route to being named a First-Team Louisville Slugger All-American.

The 21-year-old still needs to work on his command, as he still has a lot of moving parts to his delivery with his large frame and he just moved to the bullpen this year after starting his first two years at San Diego State.

"He actually ran it up to 100 [mph] last year as a sophomore as a starter," Johnson said. "He didn't pitch last summer because of an innings thing. But they got a new pitching coach, and in the fall he never really got on track. His first start wasn't very good and they put him in the bullpen. But he helped his team out as a closer. He walked a few more than he probably should. But with a tweak here and there, I think this guy has some really high upside."

Cederoth's fastball is his calling card, but he also has a slider, curveball and changeup, with his low-80s slider showing the most potential as a secondary pitch to go along with his overpowering fastball.

Cederoth was also drafted out of Steele Canyon High School in Spring Valley, Calif., as a 41st-rounder by the D-backs but didn't sign.

The Draft concludes on Saturday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 12 p.m. CT.

Run on college relievers continues with lefty Clay

The Twins continued to stockpile college relievers by taking Georgia Tech left-hander Sam Clay as the No. 110 overall pick in the fourth round of Friday's First-Year Player Draft.

It marked the third straight college reliever taken by the Twins, as they also took hard-throwing right-handers Nick Burdi and Michael Cederoth with their second and third round picks, respectively.

Clay, 20, had a solid sophomore season at Georgia Tech, posting a 1.33 ERA with 63 strikeouts and 28 walks in 54 1/3 innings. His 1.26 ERA was the second-lowest ERA in Georgia Tech history for a pitcher with at least 40 innings. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder was eligible for the Draft as a sophomore because he turns 21 on June 21.

"We really like Sam Clay," Twins scouting director Deron Johnson said. "He's a left-hander with a good arm. One of our scouts has seen him up to 95 [mph] but he's more of a 90-93 guy. But he has a good breaking ball."

Clay has started only once in his college career, and he made big strides as a sophomore after posting a 6.94 ERA with 17 strikeouts and 20 walks in 23 1/3 innings as a freshman.

He was a two-sport star at Buford High School in Georgia, winning state football titles his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons before finishing as runner-up as a senior in 2012. The former quarterback switched his focus to baseball at Georgia Tech, and he put it all together with a strong sophomore season.

Clay's fastball isn't as overpowering as Burdi's or Cederoth's, as it sits in the low-90s and can touch the mid-90s. His hard slider is his best secondary pitch, but he also possesses a curveball and a changeup.

Clay, given his rawness as a pitcher, will need to work on his command and his control in the Minor Leagues. Johnson added that he believes Clay will sign despite being only a sophomore.

The Draft concludes on Saturday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 12 p.m. CT.

Originally starter, Reed thrived as closer with Ducks

In what's become a trend for the Twins in this year's First-Year Player Draft, Minnesota went with its fourth straight college reliever in the fifth round on Friday, selecting Oregon right-hander Jake Reed.

Reed, taken as the No. 140 overall pick, joins fellow college relievers Nick Burdi, Michael Cederoth and Sam Clay, who were all drafted by the Twins after taking high school shortstop Nick Gordon in the first round.

"Jake Reed is a power-arm guy," Twins scouting director Deron Johnson said. "He was actually a starter his first two years at Oregon before becoming closer."

The Draft concludes on Saturday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 12 p.m. CT.

Reed served as closer his junior year, posting a 2.08 ERA with 32 strikeouts and 15 walks in 34 2/3 innings with 13 saves. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder was a starter his first two years with the Ducks before converting into the closer role this season.

The 21-year-old is another hard-throwing right-hander like Burdi and Cederoth, as his fastball reaches the mid-90s and shows plus life, coming into the hands of right-handed hitters. His strikeout pitch is a hard slurve, and he also possesses a changeup that's a work in progress.

"He's like our fourth-rounder from two years ago, Zach Jones," Johnson said. "His breaking ball is a little short but a little better than Zach's coming out of college. But he has a fastball than can hit 97 mph. He kind of comes from a unique angle as kind of a side-armer. He gives the hitters a different look."

Reed's another candidate to move quickly through the Minors given his plus-fastball and the way he handled the move to the bullpen.

"At the very least, he's a setup guy," MLB.com Draft expert Jonathan Mayo said. "He could get there very quickly. Add him to the list of bullpen arms the Twins are stockpiling."

Reed was originally selected by the White Sox in the 40th round of the 2011 Draft out of Helix High School in La Mesa, Calif. but he didn't sign.

After missing last season, Curtiss thrived in bullpen

The Twins may have found a sleeper in the sixth round of the First-Year Player Draft on Friday, as they selected highly touted right-hander John Curtiss from the University of Texas with the No. 170 overall pick.

Curtiss, 21, was ranked as the No. 88 overall Draft prospect by MLB.com, and he was projected by many to be a possible first-round pick this year if he didn't have Tommy John surgery that wiped out his 2013 season.

"I think he's a sleeper," MLB.com Draft expert Jim Callis said. "I really like him, but he had Tommy John [surgery]. He was considered a possible first-round pick, if healthy."

The Draft concludes on Saturday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 12 p.m. CT.

Curtiss excelled as a freshman at Texas in 2011, posting a 3.50 ERA with 48 strikeouts and 25 walks in 64 1/3 innings. He made four starts that year and 24 relief appearances.

Curtiss missed the next season due to surgery, and he also had a rib removed to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome. Curtiss returned this year as a redshirt sophomore, fairing well in relief with a 2.23 ERA and 28 strikeouts and 13 walks in 36 1/3 innings to go along with eight saves.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder still projects to be a starter, however, and he has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and tops out at 96 mph. His second-best pitch is his slider that can reach the 80s, but he's had trouble commanding it in his return from Tommy John surgery. He also has a changeup but needs to work on it, as he didn't use it much in relief this year.

"We actually think he has a chance to be a starter," Twins scouting director Deron Johnson said. "He's tall with a projectable-looking body. He's got three pitches he can throw for strikes. So he might be that conversion guy."

Curtiss had the chance to be a third-round pick out of Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas, in 2011, but he told teams he wanted to honor his commitment to Texas, so he wasn't drafted until the 30th round by the Rockies and didn't sign.

He projects to be a No. 2 or No. 3 starter in the Majors and is also highly intelligent, as he graduated from Texas in three years with double major in history and English. As a result, scouts consider him signable, because he already has his degree.

In seventh round, Twins take Cutura

The Twins went with a college pitcher for a sixth consecutive pick, taking right-hander Andro Cutura from Southeastern Louisiana University as the No. 200 overall pick in the seventh round of Friday's First-Year Player Draft.

Cutura is the first of those six picks to work exclusively as a starter this season, and he was impressive as a junior, going 10-2 with a 1.95 ERA with 99 strikeouts and 21 walks over 106 innings in 16 starts.

"This was a guy we almost put on the MLB.com Top 200 list," MLB.com Draft expert Jim Callis said. "He dropped off at the end. He is smaller guy but is up to 93-94 [mph]. He has a changeup he knows how to use. His breaking ball is more of a cutter."

The Draft concludes on Saturday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 12 p.m. CT.

Cutura, 20, has been used primarily as a starter throughout his three years at Southeastern Louisiana. He's 17-7 with a 3.01 ERA with 159 strikeouts and 54 walks in 215 innings over three seasons.

The 6-foot, 195-pounder is a native of Pearl River, La. He was named a semifinalist for the 2014 Gregg Olson Award, which honors college baseball's breakout player of the year.

"He's kind of a bulldog," Twins scouting director Deron Johnson said about Cutura, whose parents are from Bosnia. "He's a starter. He has a good mix and throws strikes. He doesn't throw as hard as the other guys. But we like his makeup and his pitches."

Steele has fastball that can reach 96 mph

The Twins added to their stable of college pitchers taken in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, selecting right-hander Keaton Steele from the University of Missouri as the No. 230 overall pick in the eighth round on Friday.

It marked the seventh straight time the Twins used a pick on a college pitcher, but Steele is a two-way player, as he led Missouri in homers, wins and saves in 2013. Steele, ranked as the No. 188 overall Draft prospect, is expected to remain as a pitcher, and posted a 3.07 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 18 walks in 67 1/3 innings as a redshirt junior this year. He made 23 relief appearances and three starts with two complete games.

"He went about where I thought he would," MLB.com Draft expert Jim Callis said. "He's athletic. He can throw strikes. I think he can be a starter."

The Draft concludes on Saturday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 12 p.m. CT.

Steele missed the 2011 season with rotator cuff and labrum tears in his shoulder that required surgery. The 22-year-old bounced back and won the Most Outstanding Player honor at the Junior College World Series, leading Iowa Western to the title in '12.

Steele transferred to Missouri before last season, and he focused mostly on pitching this spring. Steele has a fastball that sits in the low-90s and can touch 96 mph, and possesses a slider that at times can flash plus. He'll need to work on his changeup if he wants to remain a starter as he was late in the year for Missouri.

"We liked him as a starter," Twins scouting director Deron Johnson said. "He throws strikes and has a good mix. So we thought that was a good pick there. He's also a good makeup kid."

The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder already graduated from Missouri with a degree in sociology. He's expected to sign as a result after turning down the Rays as a 29th-rounder in 2012 and the Royals as a 40th-rounder last year.

In ninth round, Twins take local product Murphy

The Twins broke their streak of taking seven straight college pitchers by selecting Bradley University outfielder Max Murphy with the No. 260 overall pick in the ninth round of Friday's First-Year Player Draft.

Murphy, a native of Robbinsdale, Minn., played primarily in center field this season, hitting .314/.414/.598 with 12 homers, 15 doubles, two triples, 10 stolen bases and 42 RBIs in 51 games as a junior.

"Max Murphy is very interesting," MLB.com Draft expert Jim Callis said. "He's very toolsy for a college player. The problem guys have with him is that he plays beneath the tools a little bit. People don't love the approach and wonder about the bat. But he has the tools to do some things."

The Draft concludes on Saturday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 12 p.m. CT.

Murphy, 21, was a solid performer at Bradley, hitting .293/.383/.518 in three years at Bradley, while showing above-average power, especially from his 5-foot-11, 195-pound frame. His 27 homers rank as the sixth most in school history.

There are questions about Murphy's ability to stick in center field, and he has unconventional setup at the plate, but he still makes plenty of hard contact and has quick wrists. Murphy attended Robbinsdale Cooper High School in New Hope, Minn., but he wasn't drafted as a high school senior.

"We like him," Twins scouting director Deron Johnson said. "We had him at a workout on Monday and he did well. He hit a few balls out of the park. He's a strong kid. He's only 5-foot-11 but he's put together pretty good. He runs well and he throws well."

Twins conclude Day 2 with yet another pitcher

The Twins wrapped up Day 2 of the First-Year Player Draft by taking yet another college pitcher in the 10th round, selecting Tulane right-hander Randy LeBlanc with the 290th pick on Friday.

LeBlanc had a solid redshirt junior season at Tulane, making 14 starts and posting a 2.46 ERA with 66 strikeouts and 20 walks in 91 1/3 innings. The 22-year-old had Tommy John surgery after just his third start his freshman year in 2011, but he has fully recovered from the operation. LeBlanc was the eighth college pitcher taken by the Twins through their first 10 picks.

"He's an interesting redshirt junior," MLB.com Draft expert Jim Callis said. "Throws 95 [mph] with a little effort, which allows him to command it well. He needs a second pitch, so he's probably a reliever but he really pitches off that fastball."

The Draft concludes on Saturday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 12 p.m. CT.

LeBlanc burst onto the prospect scene his senior year at Covington High School in Louisiana, but he had a strong commitment to Tulane and didn't sign as a 16th-rounder by the Marlins in the 2010 Draft.

"We liked him a lot in high school," Twins scouting director Deron Johnson said. "He has a really good body and is a high-ceiling guy. I think he's ultimately a reliever but he's been a starter throughout his collegiate career. He has three pitches but he can run his fastball up to 96-97 [mph]."

LeBlanc started off his college career with three strong starts, but he then underwent Tommy John surgery. LeBlanc was able to return in 2012 but struggled with a 5.82 ERA in 38 2/3 innings. LeBlanc's gotten progressively better since then, including his strong redshirt junior season this year.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder lives off his fastball, which sits at 92-93 mph, but he doesn't have any strong secondary pitches. So he could be a reliever at the next level if he doesn't add more to his arsenal.